For the most part, you can apply to all MD programs using AMCAS, and all DO programs using AACOMAS (read about the differences between MD and DO programs in our article here). Texas, being Texas, doesn’t quite work that way. All of the public medical, dental, and veterinary schools in Texas use the same system: TMDSAS.
A number of private schools in Texas also accept applications from this system, notably Baylor, though this is not universal. In this article, we’ll break down what this application requires step by step, and give you strategic advice on how to complete it. Let’s get started!
The TMDSAS Basics
Almost every medical school in Texas uses TMDSAS. The exceptions are Texas Christian University (which uses AMCAS), and University of the Incarnate Word (which uses AACOMAS). In addition, Baylor’s MD/PhD program requires you to apply using AMCAS.
TMDSAS costs $215 as a flat fee, regardless of how many schools you apply to through it. This can make it economical to apply to several Texas medical schools if you’re applying to any.
You should note that all public Texas medical schools are required to cap their out of state enrollment at 10%. While many out of state students do still apply to these schools, it is slightly easier to gain acceptance for Texas residents.
The TMDSAS Timeline
In general, you can follow the same timeline we outline for all medical school applicants. There are a few dates which are specific to TMDSAS however:
- May 1: Application becomes available
- May 15: Submission opens
- August 1: Early decision application deadline
- October 1: Early decision results are announced
- November 1: Regular decision application deadline
- February 2: Match preference submission deadline
- February 16: Match results released and rolling admission begins
- April 30: Applicants with multiple offers must choose which program to attend
It takes two to four weeks to process an application on average, though this can stretch to six weeks during the busiest part of the application cycle.
Texas residents are able to complete the Match process through TMDSAS. Pre-Match offers are extended between October 15 and January 29. You can receive and accept multiple of these offers to reserve your spot at these schools. It is polite to decline offers if you know you won’t attend a school (such as if you’ve been admitted to a school higher on your list), as this allows offers to be extended to other students in a timely fashion.
Note that you must participate in Match if you are a Texas resident, even if you have received pre-Match offers. You rank all of the medical schools you interviewed with, and medical schools rank all of the students they interviewed. Match then attempts to pair applicants with the school they most prefer that also ranked them highly.
You may get into schools which did not extend pre-Match offers to you. At the end of the Match process, however, you will have only one acceptance, regardless of how many pre-Match offers you entered with.
If you do not gain an acceptance through Match, then you will enter the rolling acceptance phase. Here, schools with remaining slots will extend acceptances through the spring and summer.
Application Sections
In general, TMDSAS is quite similar to AMCAS in the information it asks for, and you can easily reuse the information you entered for one application into another. There are some key differences to be aware of however.
Activities
The TMDSAS Personal Biography and Activities section allows you an unlimited number of entries, each of which allows for 500 characters to describe your participation. Your three most important activities (chosen by you) get an additional 500 characters each. Each activity must be placed in one of the following categories:
- Leadership
- Research Activities
- Healthcare Activities
- Community Engagement
- Extracurricular Activities
- Planned Activities
Academic Recognition, Non-Academic Recognition, and Employment offer 300 characters apiece, but are otherwise entered in the same way.
MCAT Scores
You must submit MCAT scores as part of the TMDSAS. However, they allow scores up to five years old to be submitted, compared to the two to three years expected by the AMCAS.
Recommendation Letters
You are required to submit either three individual letters of evaluation or a single health profession committee packet. In addition, you may submit one optional letter. This is far fewer than you can submit through AMCAS. You will want to choose which letters you submit carefully, to make sure you cover all needed information.
TMDSAS Essays
Just as with the AMCAS, the essays are a core part of the TMDSAS application. You are required to write three for the application as a whole:
- Medical applicant personal statement (5,000 character limit)
- Personal characteristics essay (2,500 character limit)
- Optional essay (2,500 character limit)
In addition to these core essays, each school you apply to through TMDSAS will have their own supplemental application, with additional essay questions you are expected to answer. You can see what these are like in our article on medical school essays.
The personal statement is very similar in topic to the one requested by AMCAS, but has a slightly shorter allotted space; 5,000 characters in total, including spaces. We recommend using the same personal statement for both if you are applying using both applications. You will need to edit slightly to fit the reduced character limit, but there’s no point in doing more work when you don’t need to.
One thing you may wish to include in a TMDSAS personal statement is a personal connection to Texas, especially if you grew up there or attended undergrad there. This should not be shoehorned in, but if you shadowed at a hospital in Texas, or have a specific connection to healthcare in the state, then that is worth mentioning briefly. This is not a specific requirement; your residency is judged separately from the essay, but can be a nice connection to the readers of the essay.
The personal characteristics essay is a version of the diversity essay, which a lot of secondary applications ask for on the AMCAS. As a reminder, diversity doesn’t just need to talk about race, gender, or sexuality. Any factor which sets you apart or gives you a unique perspective on the medical field can be discussed in this essay.
This essay can touch on multiple different factors briefly, or use one as a supporting factor when discussing another. Whatever you speak about, it should directly show how you will be able to connect to patients as a doctor, and relate to people with experiences and viewpoints different from your own.
The optional essay is technically optional, though strongly encouraged. We recommend all students answer this essay; all admissions officers know is what you tell them, so you should tell them as much as possible.
That said, this essay is explicitly not a place for continuing or rehashing the other essays they ask you to write. You are encouraged to use this space to talk about anything else you want to cover, which is a great opportunity for you. We generally recommend taking one of the following approaches:
- Adapting one of your other secondary essays you wrote for AMCAS. You want to make sure this isn’t one which any of the TMDSAS schools ask for, as you don’t want to repeat topics with their secondary essays either.
- Writing an entirely new essay to talk about some achievement or experience related to medicine you haven’t had the opportunity to cover yet.
- Touching on any potential red flags with your candidacy, such as low grades or an incident on your academic record. Much as the additional information section on the Common App, this essay can be used to give needed context for these.
Whatever you decide to write about, make sure it continues the core purpose of your essays: demonstrating your fitness for medical school.
TMDSAS MD-PhD Essays
If you are applying to MD-PhD programs, there are additional essays you are required to answer. Note that all MD-PhD programs must be applied to via AMCAS, even as you use TMDSAS to apply to just the MD portion of the program. DO-PhD programs can be applied to through TMDSAS.
In either case, be prepared to answer the following prompts:
- Prompt 1: Explain your motivation to seek a MD/PhD or DO/PhD dual degree. Discuss your research interests and career goals as an applicant to a dual degree program.
- Prompt 2: Describe your significant research experiences. Include the name and title of your research mentor as well as your contributions to the project. List any publications which have resulted from your work.
Final Thoughts
If you are a Texas resident, then applying to medical schools in Texas is probably on your agenda. In that case, you will use TMDSAS to do so. While it is not radically different from either of the other application systems, it has its own quirks that you need to be aware of.
We hope that this article has provided a solid introduction to TMDSAS, and what you will need to do when approaching it. Of course, the application is just one of many moving parts you need to keep track of when applying to medical school. If you are looking for guidance, or advice on where and when and how to apply, schedule a free consultation with us today. We have experience with every aspect of medical school admissions, and are always happy to help you with yours.
